The buying process is an emotional process for every individual, so knowing what matters to your audiences and how to best engage them in an interactive experience is the key to winning the business.

Today's forward-thinking organizations are putting measures in place to listen to customers more proactively, analyze data for early warning signs, and trigger alerts that will ultimately identify or prevent the next customer "tsunami."

Instead of the product at the center, the customer should be there. What's needed are managers who engage individual customers in a dialogue, creating two-way communication that helps develop future product offerings, create engagement, and build lasting relationships.